Top Otaku Culture Manga Recommendations

[Oshi no Ko]

Also known as [Oshi no Ko].

Status: Finished
Genres: Drama , Mystery , Psychological , Supernatural

Gorou is a gynecologist and idol fan who’s in shock after his favorite star, Ai, announces an impromptu hiatus. Little does Gorou realize that he’s about to forge a bond with her that defies all common sense! Lies are an idol’s weapon!

Awards: - Nominated for the 14th and 15th Manga Taisho. - Winner of the 7th Next Manga Award in the print category. - Nominated for the 26th Tezuka Osamu Cultural Prize. - Nominated for the 67th Shogakukan Manga Award in general category. - Nominated for the 46th Kodansha Manga Award.

Tags: Revenge , Idol , Acting , Reincarnation , Tragedy , Female Protagonist , Male Protagonist , Seinen , Twins , Detective , Time Skip , Work , Age Gap , Otaku Culture , Love Triangle , Female Harem , Heterosexual , Anti-Hero , Suicide , Bullying , Educational , Urban Fantasy , Tsundere , Primarily Female Cast , Primarily Teen Cast , Urban , Pregnant , Filmmaking , VTuber , Cosplay , Denpa

Sono Bisque Doll wa Koi wo Suru

Also known as My Dress-Up Darling.

Status: Releasing
Genres: Comedy , Ecchi , Romance , Slice of Life

Traumatized by a childhood incident with a friend who took exception to his love of traditional dolls, doll-artisan hopeful Gojou Wakana passes his days as a loner, finding solace in the home ec room at his high school. To Wakana, people like beautiful Kitagawa Marin, a trendy girl who's always surrounded by a throng of friends, is practically an alien from another world. But when cheerful Marin--never one to be shy--spots Wakana sewing away one day after school, she barges in with the aim of roping her quiet classmate into her secret hobby: cosplay! Will Wakana's wounded heart be able to handle the invasion from this sexy alien?!



Tags: Cosplay , Otaku Culture , Fashion , Female Protagonist , Male Protagonist , Gyaru , Makeup , Heterosexual , Primarily Teen Cast , Photography , Seinen , Educational , Primarily Female Cast , Crossdressing , School , Unrequited Love , Drawing

Gokushufudou

Also known as The Way of the Househusband.

Status: Releasing
Genres: Comedy , Slice of Life

He was the fiercest member of the yakuza, a man who left countless underworld legends in his wake. They called him “the Immortal Dragon.” But one day he walked away from it all to travel another path—the path of the househusband! The curtain rises on this cozy yakuza comedy!



Tags: Parody , Episodic , Yakuza , Male Protagonist , Slapstick , Gangs , Family Life , Primarily Adult Cast , Seinen , Heterosexual , Food , Urban , Iyashikei , Animals , Marriage , Otaku Culture , Tanned Skin

Grand Blue

Also known as Grand Blue Dreaming.

Status: Releasing
Genres: Comedy , Romance , Slice of Life , Sports

After moving out on his own to a seaside town, Iori Kitahara makes a college debut he never anticipated. A new chapter of his life unfolds, full of diving with beautiful girls and shenanigans with a gaggle of lovable bastards! Idiot-expert Kenji Inoue and au naturel authority Kimitake Yoshioka bring you a glorious college tale filled with booze-fueled antics!



Tags: Slapstick , Surreal Comedy , Male Protagonist , College , Seinen , Primarily Adult Cast , Nudity , Heterosexual , Coastal , Love Triangle , Bar , Scuba Diving , Otaku Culture , Kuudere , Meta , Tsundere , Female Harem , Gore , Bisexual , Yandere , Gyaru , LGBTQ+ Themes

Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii

Also known as Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku.

Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Romance , Slice of Life

Narumi Momose has had it rough: every boyfriend she’s had dumped her once they found out she was an otaku, so she’s gone to great lengths to hide it. When a chance meeting at her new job with childhood friend, fellow otaku, and now coworker Hirotaka Nifuji almost gets her secret outed at work, she comes up with a plan to make sure he never speaks up. But he comes up with a counter-proposal: why doesn’t she just date him instead? In love, there are no save points.



Notes:
- Includes 29 extra chapters.
- The English edition combines 2 Japanese volumes into one each (so e.g. the first two Japanese volumes are combined into 1 English volume).

Tags: Otaku Culture , Primarily Adult Cast , Office Lady , Video Games , Heterosexual , Work , Episodic , Josei , Female Protagonist , Male Protagonist , Meta , Iyashikei , Office , Ensemble Cast , Cosplay , Tsundere , Crossdressing , Chibi

Ansatsu Kyoushitsu

Also known as Assassination Classroom.

Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Comedy , Sci-Fi , Supernatural

Meet the would-be assassins of class 3-E: Sugino, who let his grades slip and got kicked off the baseball team. Karma, who’s doing well in his classes but keeps getting suspended for fighting. And Okuda, who lacks both academic and social skills, yet excels at one subject: chemistry. Who has the best chance of winning that reward? Will the deed be accomplished through pity, brute force or poison...? And what chance does their teacher have of repairing his students’ tattered self-esteem?



Note: Includes 7 extras and the one-shot "Tokyo Department Store War Journal".

Tags: Teacher , Assassins , School , Primarily Child Cast , Shounen , Ensemble Cast , Satire , Tragedy , Primarily Teen Cast , Male Protagonist , Philosophy , Otaku Culture , Time Skip , Aliens

Bakuman.

Also known as Bakuman。.

Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Drama , Romance , Slice of Life

Average student Moritaka Mashiro enjoys drawing for fun. When his classmate and aspiring writer Akito Takagi discovers his talent, he begs Moritaka to team up with him as a manga-creating duo. But what exactly does it take to make it in the manga-publishing world?



Tags: Drawing , Work , Meta , Writing , Educational , Shounen , Coming of Age , Male Protagonist , Heterosexual , Otaku Culture , Tomboy , School , Tragedy

Tonikaku Kawaii

Also known as Fly Me to the Moon.

Status: Releasing
Genres: Comedy , Romance , Slice of Life

First comes marriage, then comes an earthbound love that is out of this world! From the day his parents named him, Nasa Yuzaki has been destined for outer space…or so he believes. But while trying to join the space program, he is thrown for a loop when an accident introduces him to Tsukasa, a mysterious girl with strange powers. Is she an alien, a moon goddess or something else? Since she insists on marrying him, Nasa has plenty of chances to find out!



Notes: The 16th volume includes the 4 chapter prequel "FLY ME TO THE MOON".

Tags: Marriage , Iyashikei , Family Life , Heterosexual , Historical , Age Gap , Amnesia , Coming of Age , Parody , Meta , Shounen , Primarily Adult Cast , Cute Girls Doing Cute Things , Astronomy , Tsundere , Mythology , Otaku Culture , Ojou-sama , Swordplay , Maids , Software Development

I Am a Hero

Also known as I Am a Hero.

Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Horror , Psychological

A mentally unhinged manga artist witnesses the beginning of a zombie outbreak in Tokyo, and he’s certain of only two things: he’s destined to be the city’s hero, and he possesses something quite rare in Japan—an actual firearm!



Notes:
Nominated for the 3rd and 4th Manga Taisho Award (2010).
Includes a new epilogue chapter that was released 4 years after the official end of the manga.

Tags: Seinen , Survival , Zombie , Post-Apocalyptic , Male Protagonist , Gore , Guns , Urban , Tragedy , Body Horror , Age Gap , Nudity , Cult , Otaku Culture , Disability , POV , Love Triangle , Hikikomori

Dead Dead Demon's Dededededestruction

Also known as Dead Dead Demon's Dededede Destruction.

Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Drama , Sci-Fi , Slice of Life

The Japan Self-Defense Forces are still looking for a way to combat the alien threat, but so far conventional weapons have had no effect. Maybe it’s time to try something unconventional.

Meanwhile, Kadode Koyama and her best friend avidly track the aliens’ movements on social media and less enthusiastically study for college entrance exams. When the end of the world looms overhead, you learn to take things one step at a time.



Notes:
- Winner of the 66th Shogakukan Manga Award in the general category.
- Includes 1 extra chapter.

Tags: Seinen , Aliens , Female Protagonist , Alternate Universe , Politics , Primarily Female Cast , Military , Time Manipulation , Bisexual , Coming of Age , Denpa , Dystopian , Language Barrier , Philosophy , Tragedy , School , Otaku Culture , Suicide , Anti-Hero , Post-Apocalyptic , Gore , Satire , Cosmic Horror , Yuri , Love Triangle

Mushoku Tensei: Isekai Ittara Honki Dasu

Also known as Mushoku Tensei: Jobless Reincarnation.

Status: Finished
Genres: Adventure , Drama , Ecchi , Fantasy

Kicked out by his family and wandering the streets, an unemployed 34-year-old shut-in thinks he’s hit rock-bottom—just as he’s hit and killed by a speeding truck! Awakening to find himself reborn as an infant in a world of swords and sorcery, but with the memories of his first life intact, Rudeus Greyrat is determined not to repeat his past mistakes. He’s going to make the most of this reincarnation as he sets off on the adventure of a second lifetime!



Tags: Coming of Age , Rehabilitation , Isekai , Reincarnation , Magic , Polyamorous , Travel , Family Life , Male Protagonist , Tragedy , Ensemble Cast , Survival , Female Harem , Time Manipulation , Time Skip , Gods , Meta , Demons , Hikikomori , Matriarchy , Swordplay , Tomboy , Crossdressing , Teacher , Tsundere , Elf , Language Barrier , School , Slavery , Dragons , Nekomimi , Amnesia , Dungeon , Otaku Culture , Revenge , Marriage , Maids , Episodic , Ojou-sama , Religion , Boys' Love , Archery , Desert

Masamune-kun no Revenge

Also known as Masamune-kun’s Revenge.

Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Romance

As an overweight child, Makabe Masamune was mercilessly teased and bullied by one particular girl, Adagaki Aki. Determined to one day exact his revenge upon her, Makabe begins a rigorous regimen of self-improvement and personal transformation.

Years later, Masamune reemerges as a new man. Handsome, popular, with perfect grades and good at sports, Masamune-kun transfers to Aki’s school, and is unrecognizable to her. Now, Masamune-kun is ready to confront the girl who bullied him so many years ago and humiliate her at last. But will revenge be as sweet as he thought?



Included Side Chapters:
Chapter 9.5: Investigative Report into Aki Adagaki
Chapter 12.5: A Fine Tradition of Stewardship
Chapter 14.5: Tsunade Island Incident Part 2
Chapter 20.5: Kojuurou Wants To Become A Dandy
Chapter 35.2: Piggy's Memorial Part 2


Tags: School , Male Protagonist , Primarily Teen Cast , Revenge , Heterosexual , Female Harem , Shounen , Ojou-sama , Love Triangle , Tsundere , Tragedy , Bullying , Kuudere , Mafia , Parody , Slapstick , Otaku Culture , Crossdressing , Foreign , Nudity , Maids , Cosplay , Tanned Skin , Guns

Yamada-kun to Lv999 no Koi wo Suru

Also known as My Love Story with Yamada-kun at Lv999.

Status: Releasing
Genres: Comedy , Drama , Romance

Recently dumped, Akane is just about to quit the game she used to play with her boyfriend, when she meets Yamada in the same RPG. Yamada in real life turns out to be somewhat of a legend. The only problem is - he is ONLY interested in the game. As Akane's feelings grow, will Yamada's focus stay on the game?



Note: Ninth place of Tsugimanga 2020 Award in the Web Manga Category

Tags: Video Games , Heterosexual , Shoujo , Female Protagonist , Otaku Culture , Age Gap , Virtual World , College , Primarily Adult Cast , Urban , E-Sports

Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-kun

Also known as Monthly Girls' Nozaki-kun.

Status: Releasing
Genres: Comedy , Romance

The boy of her dreams...is a girl's manga artist?! To the eyes of high school student Chiyo Sakura, classmate Umetarou Nozaki--brawny of build and brusque of tongue--is a dreamboat! When Chiyo finally works up the courage to tell Nozaki how she feels about him, she knows rejection is on the table...but getting recruited as a manga-ka's assistant?! Never in a million years! But for someone who makes a living drawing sweet girly romances, Nozaki-kun is a little slow on the uptake when it comes to matters of the heart in reality. And so Chiyo's daily life of manga making and heartache begins!



Tags: Drawing , Parody , Ensemble Cast , 4-koma , Work , School , Heterosexual , Otaku Culture , Tomboy , Tsundere , Shounen , Female Protagonist , Primarily Teen Cast , School Club , Unrequited Love , Educational , Bisexual

Kami nomi zo Shiru Sekai

Status: Finished
Genres: Comedy , Fantasy , Romance

Katsuragi Keima is known on the net as the god of getting the girls while in real life he’s known as otamegane and he hates all real girls. However he is approached by Elsie, a devil from hell, to help her in catching runaway spirits that hide in people. Apparently the spirits only hide in the hearts of girls and the only way to get the souls out is by making the girl fall in love so the spirit gets forced out. And he’s not allowed to fail or he will lose his head.

Tags: Female Harem , School , Video Games , Primarily Female Cast , Otaku Culture , Male Protagonist , Gods , Demons , Heterosexual , Time Manipulation , Urban Fantasy , Slapstick , Age Regression , Denpa , Shounen , Philosophy , Memory Manipulation , Anti-Hero , Amnesia , Tsundere , Kuudere , Bullying , Dissociative Identities , Love Triangle , Coming of Age , Family Life , Chibi , Crossdressing , Idol , Band , Body Swapping

Real mo Tama ni wa Uso wo Tsuku

Also known as Sometimes Even Reality Is a Lie!.

Status: Releasing
Genres: Comedy , Romance , Slice of Life

Kaoru Terasaki is a gamer who’s into MMORPGs, and he’s finally meeting up with someone he’s been friends with in-game for a long while—this time, offline and in person. He’s worried that his friend will be disappointed to see Kaoru is a guy, unlike his female character in the game. But he’s the one who’s in for a surprise when, instead of another guy, his friend turns out to be a cute girl, Nanami Ousaka. On top of that, Nanami told her parents that she would be bringing a friend over—a female friend. Even worse, Nanami’s dad is the super overprotective type who won’t allow any guys near his daughter. There’s only one solution to this dilemma: Kaoru has to cross-dress as a girl! Will Kaoru’s efforts pay off in the end?! Will Kaoru and Nanami remain just friends, or will their time together IRL change everything? Follow their romantic-comedy adventures to find out!



Tags: Crossdressing , Full Color , Heterosexual , Video Games , Hikikomori , Otaku Culture , Cosplay , School , Cute Girls Doing Cute Things , Female Protagonist , Male Protagonist

Sasaki to Miyano

Also known as Sasaki and Miyano.

Status: Releasing
Genres: Comedy , Romance , Slice of Life

Miyano spends his days peacefully reading Boys' Love comics and worrying about how girly his face is-until a chance encounter leads to a scuffle with his senior Sasaki. Intrigued by his feisty junior Miyano, delinquent Sasaki uses every opportunity he can to get closer...



Tags: Boys' Love , Male Protagonist , School , Primarily Male Cast , Cute Boys Doing Cute Things , Otaku Culture , LGBTQ+ Themes , Meta , Shoujo , Bisexual , 4-koma , Crossdressing , Primarily Teen Cast

Watashi ga Motenai no wa Dou Kangaete mo Omaera ga Warui!

Also known as No Matter How I Look at It, It's You Guys' Fault I'm Not Popular!.

Status: Releasing
Genres: Comedy , Slice of Life

Kuroki Tomoko is a super popular, high school girl, who has had 50 years of dating experience, and 100 boys... in the Otome game world. In the real world, she is a 15 year old shut in, who has all of the qualities of a "mojo" (喪女, a gloomy or unpopular woman).

However, when school isn't going as she expected, and she isn't as popular as she had thought she was, she takes a look at herself in the mirror for the first time in a few years, and has some shocking revelations...

Tags: School , Female Protagonist , Rehabilitation , Ensemble Cast , Primarily Female Cast , LGBTQ+ Themes , Otaku Culture , Satire , Parody , Bisexual , Hikikomori , Coming of Age , Meta , Yuri , Chuunibyou , Female Harem , Shounen , Yandere , Acting

Geunyeoui Sohwansu

Also known as Her Summon.

Status: Finished
Genres: Action , Adventure , Comedy , Fantasy , Mystery

Due to a misuse of a word joke on live TV broadcast, girl group otaku, 'Jin-Kyung' ended up becoming doxxed and labeled as a "child predator", and ended up getting Social Anxiety Disorder. 3 years later, because of his past incident from the 3D world, his love for only the 2D world manifested, and ended up becoming a "Shut-In Otaku"! Then one day, as Jin-Kyung was no-lifing as usual, he was summoned to ‘Another World’, and came face-to-face with a bright-eyed, hopeful Summoner… Interesting enough, in the world that Jin-Kyung was summoned to, his Social Anxiety Disorder disappeared, and he was also able to wield immense power, and became the strongest summoned being there ever was!! The story of a former girl group otaku turned powerful 2D otaku, and the story of a weak and feeble Summoner commences now!!!



Notes:
- Chapter count includes a prologue.
- The official English translation is 117 chapters as Toomics English platform tends to split chapters. Our total chapter count follows the Korean release.

Tags: Full Color , Isekai , Hikikomori , Magic , Chuunibyou , Male Protagonist , Demons , Kaiju , Otaku Culture , Parody , Rehabilitation , Assassins , Idol , Gods , Maids , Denpa , Nudity , Espionage

Tokidoki Bosotto Russiago de Dereru Tonari no Alya-san

Also known as Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings in Russian.

Status: Releasing
Genres: Comedy , Romance

Masachika Kuse sits next to Alya, a girl of Russian and Japanese descent. She's beautiful, haughty, and an exceptional student, while Masachika is nerdy and known for being a slacker. He's an easy target for her comments in Russian, which she's all too happy to translate—except he can understand what she's really saying!



Tags: Heterosexual , Male Protagonist , Language Barrier , School , Tsundere , Kuudere , Foreign , Female Protagonist , Primarily Teen Cast , Otaku Culture , Primarily Female Cast , Love Triangle , Female Harem , Nudity , Shounen , Crossdressing